Permission

As I am planning to collect dandelion specimens while i'm in Japan and bring them back to UK, I thought i'd better check that it is allowed. So I sent an email to Defra (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs). This is their reply:

Ref:DWOE000153199
Dear Ms Chesney

Thank you for your email of 1 October.

Pressed and dried flowers are not Plant Health restricted. You will be able to bring the dandelions into the UK without Plant Health documentation providing they are free from pests.

I hope this is helpful.

Yours sincerely,

LW*
Customer Contact Unit
Defra


I'm pleased and quite relieved about this as I've collected specimens from other countries before and not sought permission until now. Good job it's OK then.

The image above is of my flower press made by Stephen (he used to work at Bolton Museum and made it for the poison project). I have 3 other presses: 2 made by my dad and 1 made by Mick.

*The sender gave their full name, but i thought it polite to use their initials instead.